This is the fourth installment of a five-part series in which University of Southern Indiana beat writer Chad Lindskog breaks down each position group on the men's basketball team.

EVANSVILLE — This year marks the first DayJar Dickson has spent in the same place since playing high school ball in Maryland.

He’s 22 now. He essentially burnt his freshman year playing limited minutes at Division I Niagara University in New York. Then he transferred to Polk State College, a junior college in Florida.

Last year, he transferred to the University of Southern Indiana and started 28 of the 29 games he played, but there was still a learning curve. Each season, there’s been different terminology and new teammates.

Dickson, a senior, is one of USI’s three captains along with Alex Stein and Marcellous Washington. The sense of familiarity has allowed him to take the next step.

“I don’t feel like I have to prove myself as much and I can focus on playing the game,” Dickson said. “I know my team has confidence in me so I just have to execute.”

At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, he’s a big, strong, physical presence. Coach Rodney Watson doesn’t think Dickson understood how to use his size until this past offseason.

No longer will he be shying away from contact or trying to be finesse like he did while averaging 4.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

“He understands, ‘I’m 22 years old. I’m big and strong, and I can go in there and get one,’” Watson said.

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Southern Indiana Eagles forward DayJar Dickson (23) prepares for the game against the William Jewell Cardinals at the University of Southern Indiana, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. The Southern Indiana Eagles beat the William Jewell Cardinals 88-71. (Photo: Alex Slitz / Courier & Press)

Of course, almost everyone else had already realized that. It’s hard to miss Dickson, the lifeblood of this year’s Eagles team. He provides flare and keeps the mood light while being truly genuine and taking both basketball and classwork seriously.

He’s made a direct impact on USI’s three freshmen as a mentor, a role that comes naturally.

"I’m always the one smiling and like to make people laugh,” Dickson said. “But everybody knows when it’s time to get serious. When I switch it on and off, they know to switch as well."

That grin — the only one on last year’s team poster — isn’t going away.

“His personality is who we want to be,” Watson said. “We want to be the good guys, but we want to be tough and go hard and we want to be productive.”

Emmanuel Little averaged 15.1 points and 8.0 rebounds during his senior year at Indianapolis North Central(Photo: Jenna Watson/IndyStar)

Having Dickson around has particularly helped the other power forwards, freshmen Emmanuel Little and Tyler Dancy.

Little, who played with fellow freshman Mateo Rivera at Indianapolis North Central High School, can seemingly do it all. He can shoot 3-pointers and drive to the basket at 6-foot-6. He can guard nearly anybody on the floor. Watson said Little was the best Indiana high school rebounder he saw last season.

The adjustment to college is rarely easy, though.

“It’s a big transition,” Little said. “Speed, tempo, plays. At first, I thought basketball was about who can run fast and who can jump higher. But the game is way more in-depth than I thought it was and I’m learning it here.”

Watson isn’t sure yet how Little will be used this season. Dancy, who’s from Belleville, Illinois, has impressed the USI coaches through the first two weeks of practice.

Tyler Dancy(Photo: USI Athletics)

Once he gets his 6-7, 273-pound body restructured, he’s going to be dangerous, Watson said. But fans might not see that for awhile.

“I don’t want to mess up his career,” Watson said. “I would really like to redshirt him, but right now he’s one of the best big guys we have. And that shouldn’t necessarily be the case, but it is. This next week is going to be very important.”

USI will host Division III Manchester University for an exhibition on Monday before beginning the season next weekend in the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. The sense of urgency is greater than ever considering games are beginning a week earlier than normal.

Dickson is trying to enjoy each day. He’s found a feel of home at USI.